Common name: Pachysandra, Spurge
Family: Buxaceae, Box
Height x width: 6-8" x 12-18"
Growth rate: moderate
Foliage: alternate, simple, obovate, toothed above center of leaves, glabrous for terminalis, crowded at ends of stems
Flowers: for terminalis: white, terminal spikes, 1-2" long, not showy
Hardiness: zones 4 or 5-9
Soil: moist, well-drained, organic prefered and pH 5.5-6.5
Light: part to full shade, tolerates sun in the North if sufficient moisture
Pests and Problems: leaf blight, root rot
Landscape habit, uses: groundcover for shade, slopes, native woodland gardens
Other interest: from the Greek words pachys or thick and andros or man, refering to the thick stamens
Other culture: low maintenance
Propagation: division of rooted stems, stem cuttings early in season
Species:
Plants are often available as merely the species.
• procumbens (pro-cum' bens)--Alleghany Spurge, zones 5-9, native to SE U.S., 9-12", pinkish-white flowers in Spring hidden under leaves near ground, large dull green leaves to 4" long on long petioles, less vigorous than terminalis
• stylosa (stii-lo' sah)--native to China, seldom seen species, zones 6-9, leathery light green foliage, short stubby flowers white blushed pink in early spring
• terminalis (ter-mi-nal' iss)--main species of commerce and
cultivars, native to Japan, zones 4-9, described above for genus
Those marked * are the most common in U.S. commerce.
| Cultivar | foliage | other |
| 'Green Carpet' | dark green | 6" tall, compact |
| *'Green Sheen' | "polished" green | |
| 'Silver Edge' | thin silver-white margins | |
| 'Variegata' | irregularly white variegated | slow |
(Green Sheen photo courtesy Missouri botanical gardens plantfinder)
Return to Perry's
Perennial Pages | HGPO
course | PSS123 course
